October was a harbinger of good things to come this winter at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. (tel. 800/MAMMOTH; www.mammothmountain.com) for the 2008-09 season. When Horizon Air's 74-seat turboprop landed at the upgraded Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) from Los Angeles Airport, it marked the resumption of commercial air service -- the first since 1995. And thanks to October snowfalls, the ski area opened for the season 10 days ahead of schedule.
Located in the Eastern Sierra range, Mammoth Mountain is close enough to the Los Angeles area to be a popular weekend destination but has developed the resort infrastructure on the periphery of the lift bottom stations to make it a worthy vacation destination too. The nearby town of Mammoth Lakes offers additional lodging shopping and many restaurants, stores and nightspots.
The mountain is a real beast -- a complex mountain with four base areas, more than 3,500 acres of terrain and more than 3,100 vertical feet to the 11,053-foot summit. Joining a complimentary tour conducted by a mountain guide goes a long way toward helping first-timers find their way around the complex mountain.
Etched on flanks of this long-dormant volcano is terrain for all. Beginner slopes and trails are on the heavily wooded lower mountain. Languorous cruising runs appeal to legions of intermediates. Snowfields and steep, narrow chutes drop off a summit ridge, peppering Mammoth's top thousand feet or so above the treeline with black diamonds.
On powder days, which abound in these snow-rich mountains, the line builds at the loading area for the upper gondola that accesses mountaintop mountain, waiting for the patrol to complete its snow-control efforts. Scoring first tracks is coveted by Mammoth skiers and riders. On the unlikely chance that Mammoth Mountain isn't enough, or the more likely chance that it becomes too much, the quieter slopes of nearby June Mountain are accessed by any Mammoth lift ticket.
As frantic as Mammoth can become on weekends and holiday weeks, the resort's tranquil side comprises 19 miles of groomed skating and classic cross-country tracks and snowshoe trails. Other ways to travel over snow include sliding and bouncing down the tubing hill, boring deep into the backcountry on a snowmobile, or riding a dogsled for an otherworldly winter experience.
Between them, the resort base and the nearby town of Mammoth Lakes (though something of a quirky architectural hodgepodge) offer visitors off-snow options, including dining, attractions, and nightlife. The Mammoth Ski Museum (tel. 760/934-6592; www.mammothskimuseum.org) is home to the Beekley International Collection of Skiing Art & Literature, the largest such private collection in the country. Those who just want to sit still after a hard day on the mountain can kick back at the Minaret Cinemas (tel. 760/934-3131; https://mammothlakesmovies.com) two-screen house, or take in a live performance at the Sierra Classic Theatre (tel. 760/935-4239; www.sierraclassictheatre.org) or the Mammoth Lakes Art Center (tel. 760/934-1900; www.mammothlakesartscenter.org).
Where to Stay
Convenient accommodations close to a lift at one of the base areas are booked through Mammoth Mountain Lodging (tel. 800/MAMMOTH; www.mammothmountain.com/plan/lodging/). The Mammoth Mountain is a classic ski hotel steps from the main day lodge and gondola. The Juniper Springs Resort has one- to three-bedroom condominiums. Units in the luxurious Village Lodge range from studio to three-bedroom condos, but with the addition of hotel services, heated pool, five hot tubs, three fitness centers, a media room, an arcade, and direct access to the mountain via the Village Gondola.
Mammoth Mountain Stats
Lifts: 3 gondolas, 2 high-speed six-seater chairlifts, 9 high-speed detachable quads, 1 fixed-grip quad, 7 triples, 3 doubles, 3 surface lifts; uphill capacity, 54,000 per hour
Vertical: 3,100 feet
Skiable Acres: 3,500; snowmaking on 700 acres. Average annual snowfall, 400 inches
Trails: 150 (25% beginner and novice; 40% intermediate; 20% advanced; 15% expert)
Terrain Parks: 3